Digna Biotech, CIMA receive EU grant for development of gene therapy product for Acute Intermittent Porphyria

Digna Biotech and the Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA) de la Universidad de Navarra announced today that the European Union (EU) has finalized a EUR 3.3 million grant to AIPGENE consortium. Digna Biotech and CIMA will receive, as members of the consortium, EUR 0.5 and EUR 0.8 million respectively for the clinical development of a gene therapy product for Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP).

The AIPGENE consortium is led by CIMA (University of Navarra), and in addition to Digna Biotech includes Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT), Stockholms Lans Landsting, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum and Servicio Madrileno de Salud.

As part of the AIPGENE grant, Digna Biotech and CIMA will complete a Phase I/II study in humans. With the support of all AIPGENE partners, Digna Biotech anticipates AIP patient enrolment in the trial in early 2012.

Under a co-development agreement, Digna Biotech transferred to AMT global rights to develop and commercialize this adeno-associated based gene therapy vector for acute intermittent porphyria. AMT was granted Orphan Drug Designation for this vector.